The European Union is ready to negotiate with the United States regarding the new duties announced by the Trump government, but also prepared to receive countermeasures, European Commission President Ursula von der Laienne said, while announcing that the USA had to say. War.

“We have proposed zero duties for industrial products,” the US President Ursula von der Layen said.

In her statements with the Norwegian Prime Minister, with whom she met in Brussels today, Ursula von der Laien said the EU was ready to negotiate with the US.

“Indeed, we have offered zero duties to zero for industrial products, as we have successfully done with many other commercial partners. Because Europe is always ready for a good deal, “he said. This proposal “remains on the table”, but at the same time “we are ready to respond with countermeasures and defend our interests.” The President of the Commission said the EU would be protected from the indirect impacts through diversion of trade and to this end, “we will create a Task Force to supervise imports”.

Von der Layen also emphasized that the EU will strategically turn to the remaining 83% of world trade that does not concern the US.

She noted that Norway, as a member of the European Economic Area, is and will remain within the single market. Von der Layen made these statements amid fears of escalating the trade war after the imposition of sweeping duties by US President Donald Trump on all imports, including the EU.

For his part, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gar said that the Norwegian government would do everything it can to ensure that the country is in line with the adoption of regulations that are important for the EU’s single market.

Norway is not a member of the European Union despite being part of the single block market and wishes to avoid being trapped in a US and the EU duty war.

US President Donald Trump is promoting an unprecedented protection policy since the 1930s, increasing customs duties for all countries. 20%duties were imposed on the goods coming from the EU.

The European Commission is trying to negotiate with Washington, while preparing countermeasures if the talks do not bear fruit.

A proposal similar to the zero duties suggested by Ursula von der Laien was made on Saturday by US billionaire and a member of the government of Trump Ilon Musk, talking about a “free trade zone” between Europe and North America. France today welcomed this Musk proposal, with Foreign Trade Minister Laurent Saint-Marten talking about a “excellent idea”.

For his part, German Finance Minister Robert Hambeck pointed out the differences between members of the Trump government. “It’s ridiculous,” Ilon Musk should tell Donald Trump “to stop the absurdities” and the “confusion” of the trade war, “Hambek said.